Victoria was notified of 51 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. 50 were locally acquired cases and one is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine.
There are 522 active cases in Victoria - 518 locally acquired and four overseas acquired cases.
There are 34 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria. Nine cases are in intensive care and seven cases are on ventilators.
The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 21,573.
Update: Vaccines
29,810 vaccine doses were administered by Victoria's state-commissioned services yesterday.
The total number of doses administered through these services is 2,187,656.
Every Victorian aged 16 years and over will be eligible to access a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine at state-run vaccination centres from tomorrow, under an expansion of the state vaccine program that will further help Victoria reach its goal of one million doses over five weeks.
The change means that from Wednesday 25 August, anyone aged 18 to 59 will be eligible to receive either Pfizer or AstraZeneca - with people aged 16 to 17 able to receive the Pfizer vaccine. Those aged 60 and over will continue to receive AstraZeneca.
For more information, see Vaccine eligibility expanding for anyone 16 and over.
Bookings can be made from tomorrow on Victoria's online booking system at Book your vaccine appointment or you can ring the coronavirus hotline from tomorrow on 1800 675 398.
Outbreaks
Of today's 50 local cases:
- 40 are linked to known outbreaks
- 10 cases have their acquisition source under investigation
- 11 were in isolation for the entirety of their infectious period
Of all active cases:
- 113 are aged between 0 and 9
- 101 are aged between 10 and 19
- 92 are aged between 20 and 29
The Shepparton outbreak has been genomically linked to the Glenroy community outbreak, and public health teams are investigating epidemiological links.
- 354 total cases are currently linked to initial outbreaks in the western suburbs, and their downstream outbreaks including the Glenroy community and MyCentre Broadmeadows.
- In addition, 58 total cases are currently linked to the Shepparton community (including the Royal Melbourne Hospital)
- 36 total cases are currently linked to the St Kilda East/Fitzroy St area.
- 27 total cases are currently linked to the CBD/Carlton/North Melbourne area.
- 80 total cases are currently linked to an emerging cluster of cases in Altona North, Newport and surrounds
- 47 total cases are under investigation.
Attributable to COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar: "We are reaching out to young people in their 20s and 30s in the Newport and Altona North area - people who are active, who are working, who may be contributing to the spread. If you have symptoms, get tested. If you shop on Millers Rd or in Newport, check the exposure sites now. If you have friends or family in this community, or you run a business here, help us get the word out."
There are currently more than 14,700 active primary close contacts in isolation in Victoria.
Please check the website for all exposure sites and the dates and times of exposure at Case alerts - Public exposure sites.
The Department regularly manages exposure sites that it doesn't publish online, particularly if these sites represent lower-risk exposures, or if they have comprehensive record-keeping and contact tracing measures, or if they identify small, private locations - including smaller apartment or townhouse complexes.
Update: COVID-19 wastewater detections in Victoria
The Department is continuing to identify unexpected detections of COVID-19 fragments in wastewater in metropolitan Melbourne in areas that have not recorded recent positive cases.
Anyone who lives, works or has visited the below listed suburbs and areas is urged to watch for the slightest symptoms of COVID-19 and to get tested as soon as possible if symptoms develop.
Current areas of concern are:
Metro catchments - residential
- Western suburbs: Footscray, Seddon and West Footscray - detections in the period of interest 15-23 South Kingsville and Spotswood - detections with period of interest 17-20 August.
- Northern suburbs: Coburg, Coburg North, Fawkner, Hadfield, Preston, Reservoir and Thomastown - repeat detections in the period of interest 15-20 August.
Metro catchments - industrial
- Sunshine West - 13 repeated detections in the period of interest 8-23 August.
More information is available at Wastewater testing.
Update: Testing
48,424 tests were processed in Victoria yesterday.
See new and extended testing sites, where to get tested and expected wait times at Where to get tested.
General advice
COVID-19 symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath and loss or change in sense of smell or taste. If you are experiencing symptoms, wear a fitted face mask when you get tested.
